Who We Are
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: For the longest time, Minerva had known she was weak. Ever since she could walk. To her, the weakness meant pain. Beatings. But what if it didn't have to be that way? When a chance encounter with a dimension-hopping stranger radically alters her past, what will come of it? This is who she is, and she will not go away. Now, nor ever. Never again. NarutoxMinerva! Romance abound!
1. Who We Are

**A/N: Wow. I just read the latest chapter of Fairy Tail. And I gotta say; Jiemma is a dick! We all knew he was already, but after seeing Minerva's flashbacks, realizing the pure, unadulterated hell he put his own daughter through...god, that just pissed me the hell off! Who does that to their own daughter?! Not even the most saddistic, depraved madman would make his own kin strip and stand NAKED in the forest just because they were crying! ****Seriously!**

**On another note... **

**Here it is, and thank you all for your support in this hard time! Its been really hard with my uncle having died; I knew him ever since I was little and the thought of him being gone like that...by his own hand no less...it makes me wonder if I really knew him at all. So once again, thank you for all the support.**

**I love you guys so, soooo much! *Cries***

**I suppose I'm still writing on this site this as a result of his death. My uncle never really had many friends, you see, and sometimes I wonder if just one would've changed that. It was either continue writing as always fic, or drown my sorrows in alchohol. And as much as a might enjoy the occasional beer, I'd much rather pour out my grief into something productive, that will hopefully make me feel better, rather than get drunk and angry. Now, without further adeu, with an idea hours in the making...**

**So I'll skip the introduction, but might I advise you all to leave your assumptions behind you! This...is going to be one helluva story. Also the timeline has been changed, ever so slightly, so please, forgive the discrepancy...**

_"You've got enemies? Good. It means you've got some backbone."_

_~?_

**Weakness is Beauty**

"Why are you as weak as this?"

Minerva cringed aside, from her father's words, refusing to look into his eyes. It was the penultimate sign of weakness and she knew she would be beaten for it, but she simply couldn't do it. To stare into that cruel face was to evoke memories of sleepless nights spent in the forest, the cold winter breeze frigid on her skin. Looking only made her want to cry again and whenever she cried she only had bruises to look forward to. It didn't matter whether or not she had incredible magical power, in Jiemma's eyes that power was only one thing if she could control it.

Weak.

"Please forgive me, papa." Minerva begged, trying-and failing-to fight the tears that came with those harsh words. "I...I'll do better next time...

"Don't beg for forgiveness, you stupid girl!" his palm lashed out, cracking across her cheek in a painful blow, viciously slapping her petite body off the ground of the air and into the forest. The wind rushed painfully out of her lungs when she hit the ground, her right arm breaking as she landed awkwardly upon it. She quickly rolled onto her back, squinting her eyes as the fadng sunlight drenched her face, her mind racing through the pain as she struggled to think and her progenitor approached her fallen body. She stared up in silent horror as his shadows swallowed up her body.

"Attack me!" he demanded!

Minerva only cringed. Her reward was another blow.

_"Hiiii!"_ she whimpered, turning her face aside to lessen another blow. That served only to anger him further.

"If I am to raise a daughter, it must be strong,"he roared! If it were to be weak, I would erase it...Daughter or not." When she continued to weep he did not take pity upon her, instead striking again. "How long will you shed those worthless tears?! Tears are the ultimate apex of weakness! How many times must I tell you that before you get it through that thick skull of yours?!"

"Please forgive me." she pleaded, chanting the word as though it were a mantra, "Please forgive me. Please forgive me...

There was a silence. Then his dark face crinkled into a scowl.

"Take off your clothes."

No. Not that. Anything but that!

Yes, that. It was the worst possible punishment her father could think inflict upon her in his quest to strip her of what he considered to be weakness. Complete humiliation. Minerva struggled desperately, but it was all for naught; Jiemma tore them from her in an instant. Once again, she found herself alone, standing naked in the forest. Mercifully, her father didn't take it any farther than that. This time. Instead, he left her standing there broken and bruised, her body shivering in the light of the setting sun.

"Papa!" She called out to him as his brawny body receded into the distance.

Jiemma stopped in his tracks, his face slowly appearing over his shoulder as he curiously regarded his once fallen daughter. A look of subtle irritation crossed his single eye as it regarded the recovering girl behind him, her knees knocking together as she struggled to stand. And even then, he did not relent.

"When your tears have finally dried, you can come home." he said, leaving his back turned all the while. "Until then, I have no use for you."

Just like that, he was gone, and her clothes with him.

Minerva sank to her knees, cheeks darkening in shame as she keened softly and clutched her arm to her side. It wasn't just the broken limb that ached, it was something far deeper. Her heart. The pain of thirteen cold years without a mother tore at her, more than a decade worth of heartache all bundled up into one tiny cry.

"Noooo...

Weak.

It was all she was, all she had been, all she ever would be. And she hated it. Her father had drilled her relentlessly, over and over and _over again_ pushing without remorse for all the years she'd spent on this earth, yet she'd only become marginally stronger in that time. But even that wasn't enough. Nothing short of absolute perfection was good enough for the sadist she called father. She didn't understand. What did it matter, if she was weak? Did strength truly matter? Would it lead her to happiness? Years from now, she would've accepted that power equalled happiness. But not today.

Today she just _hurt._

Why couldn't she be allowed to have a normal life? One of her own? One with friends, a _real _family. She wanted no part in the Guild her father was trying to form. She was just a girl. She wanted a life, freedome, all the trappings that came with being a person. Not a tool; not some instrument of her father. It was always about him-his goals, his motives, his grand plans for the fledgling guild of Sabertooth to be better than Fairy Tail or some other guild, always striving for more than he already had. And had that got her? A broken and a lonely heart, here in the dark.

_What about me?_

As if to puncuate that very question, a deafening boom rumbled above her head. Minerva started violently at the noise, cringing as a body plummeted through the canopy, crashing through branch after branch until she realized it wasn't a something after all-but a human. A human body! It landed beside her with a hars crack and Minerva scrambled backward like a drunken spider, desperate to get away from what she assumed to be a corpse or worse, some sort of zombie-

"Ow!"

"Eeep!" the ebon-haired mage squeaked softly as the body bolted upright, covering herself with her arms as best she could. But even then she couldn't quite conceal her budding body. The stranger startled in the dark, his blue eyes flying wide open as he realized he was standing before a very _naked _girl and he was _staring._

"Pervert!"

"Whoa!" a low voice exclaimed in the dark! "Sorry! I didn't know you were um...you know!" Still sputtering, he fumbled with his coat and tossed it at her haphazardly. "Here! Wear this!" Minerva frowned as the garment hit her in the face and fell away at her feet.

"Aren't you going to use it?" he asked.

...I can't."

"Eh? Why not?"

"My arm is broken." she said at last, hiccuping softly as her limb twitched painfully in response.

"Oh, crap." the boy muttered. "Do you um...need any help?" At her tentative, nod he reached around and awkwardly tried to drape the jacket around her shoulders. Minerva clutched at it with her good arm. It was still a far cry from proper modesty, but at least it was better than nothing. She flushed slightly as he -for this was clearly no female!- tried to pull the zipper up without touching her skin, a difficult feat, especially when one considered how large his hands were...

Wait, what?

Minerva tilted her head up from the ball of pain that was tearing at her arm, her eyes widening as she looked up into the face of the new arrival. He was just a boy, only a few years older than her. His body was trapped in tattered orange and black rags even without the jacket; truly he looked as though he'd seen better days. And what was that battered metal plate worn round his forehead? He carried himself with poise in spite of this weary state she saw him. There was strength in him. And somehow, despite the pain, it fascinated Minerva.

"Who are you?" she asked softly as he helped her to her feet, clutching the now zippered coat to herself. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, the name's Naruto. As to the here," he shrugged, rubbing at his shoulder, "I don't really know where _here _is. The last thing I remember was defeating Pain; then this weird masked guy tried to suck me in with that jutsu of his-now here I am, I guess." The slightest of chuckles tugged at his whiskered visage as he gazed up at the gaping hole. "Hell, if it weren't for my Senin mode, I might have a few holes in me after a fall like that."

"Sage?" Trying to wrap her mind around that proved difficult for Minerva. She knew all manner of spells and sorcery, but a sage technique? What was that?

"Like this."

Naruto closed his eyes, allowing the power of nature to flow through him as he stood upon the grass. Minerva frowned slightly as she watched the edges of his eyes brighten, his lids dusting with orange. Well, here was a trick she hadn't seen before. Such a strange technique. This Naruto was certainly full of surprises, it seemed. She could feel his senses expanding, moving outward to encompass this forest and then beyond-spreading outward for miles in either direction. And the power! His eyes seemed to thrive with magical power, those now-golden lids veritably thrumming with untapped power.

_Senin Mode._

"Anyone can do it, in a sense." he explained.

"It doesn't matter." she turned away pitifully, reminded of her own inadequacy. "I'm weak."

The battered blond blinked.

"What're ya talking about?"

Tears stung at Minerva's eyes, the salty drops painfully pricking at her very soul. Naruto was just a stranger to her. She shouldn't be telling him any of this. And yet she was desperate-grasping for anything-any chance to escape from the hell that was her life. And he seemed strong...

"My father...he...

"He what?" He was staring at her keenly now, intent. "What did he do to you?"

She told him.

"WHAAAAT?!" Naruto sputtered, and for a moment-just a moment-she could've sworn those golden eyes flashed crimson. "He did that! To you?!" At her meek nod a muscle jumped in his jaw. His fingers, already left clenched and white-knuckled, bit into his palms with enough force to draw blood. He looked as though he were on the verge of storming off to find Jiemma and tear strips out of his hide. With an attitude like that, he just might, she thought.

"No father should treat his daughter like that!"

Despite that very thought, she faltered.

"But I'm weak-

"Again with that crap?" Naruto frowned, his whisked cheeks dimpling in confusion. "What kind of attitude is that? I wasn't always like this, ya know. I had to scrape and fight and struggle to get to where I am today, but now look at me! I can do...this." With a grunt two copies -clones!- appeared beside him, conjured from nothingness itself. Minerva yelped in surprise. But Naruto was not yet done. Raising their arms, the dopplegangers helped him to summon something massive, a shrieking malestrome of wind and energy gathering up into his outstretched palm.

"See?" he shouted over the wind, gradually allowing the technique to die. "This is the kind of power I'm talking about. And I worked my ass off for it."

Minerva couldn't find the words. Numbed, she pushed a strand of ebon hair behind her ear.

"I've never seen a mage in all of Fiorre who could do that." she whispered.

"Wait, Fiorre?" the blond blanched and began scratching at the back of his head. "Ah, crap...something tells me I'm a long way from home...but in any case!" Plopping down beside her, he folded his legs seiza style and began staring intently into the woods, eyes narrow. "I think I'll just wait here until your pops shows up again. I'd like to have a word with that old asshat...

"No! You can't do that!"

"Why not?" he snorted, defiant. "I'll kick his ass!"

_Oh, I don't think so..._

Panic flooded Minerva, filling her veins with ice water. Memories of her father's terrifying power, his ability to erase something from existence overwhelmed. You couldn't fight a force like that. You got the hell out of the way or took him by surprise. A demon the likes of him was not to be trifled with under any other circumstance. That was part of the reason she'd never tried to run away before; the thought of being hunted down like a dog in the wilderness had always terrified the young mage.

"You just can't!" she cried. "He'll kill you!"

Naruto seemed to consider it. "Alright." he decided at last, standing woodenly. Then...come with me."

Those words were a ray of light to her in the darkness. Go...with him? She'd never considered such a thing. She was in little shape to do much else-it was either go with him or continue to accept the harsh brutalities of her father's rule. Really, the choice was obvious. Minerva would rather risk her own safety with a stranger who might offer her kindness, than stay with the father whom she knew would not. At least this way, she had a very real chance of escaping Jiemma's iron fist. Anything was better than this.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Honestly? I have no idea." His whiskered face pinched in a sudden frown. "Now that I think about it...I never got your name."

Minerva smiled softly.

"Its Minerva."

"You're odd." she said. "You just thought to ask that just now?"

Naruto laughed. "What can I say? I'm a people person."

When the shinobi offered her his hand she accepted it with only the slightest hesitation. His grip was strong yet gentle, his calloused palm meshing smoothly with the soft skin of her own. It could be said that there was a certain beauty to be said for strength, but there was also something to be said for the opposite.

Minerva realized it on that fateful night as her blond angel took her out of that dark place and into the world. Weakness was not always something to be mocked nor was it an infestation to be purged as her father'd had believed it to be. There was beauty in weakness. This was who she was. Whom she was meant to be. Not some puppet of her father-a tool to be used and cast aside as he saw fit. No, she was a person-just like this odd boy holding her hand. It was then that she truly knew:

_Weakness was beauty._

**A/N: And there we be!**** Despite my illness, I was so fixated on the idea that it just came to me, the idea of Minerva actually having a decent life, rather than being trappd under that asshole of a dad known as Jiemma. I'm almost glad a friend suggested this me. And I'm quite satisfied with the way that this chapter turned out. Minerva's going to be well taken care of, actually has a friend in the rotten childhood inflicted upon her, a bit of training under her belt, and she's not even a teenager yet! Not to mention the fact that she's befriended Naruto. And yes this it Shippuden Naruto we're talking about here, but only so far as Sage Mode. He's not a god in his own right, just a very, very dangerous opponent.**

**All hell's about to break loose here people! But all is not well, and there are stormclouds on the horizon...**

**So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! **

**(Preview)**

_"A guild, huh?"_

_Naruto cocked his head aside, seeming to consider the notion as he peered at the empty lot. Nearly a week spent in Fiorre had done much to improve his outlook on life. Once he realized he was essentially trapped in a different dimension he'd despaired at first; but with despair had also come acceptance. He was in a strange new land. One in which the concept of chakra was rather asimilair to that of magic. It was only natural that he thrive once he accepted that principle. This new idea of his however, even with all the money they'd earned doing odd jobs...was nothing short of insanity._

_"I think I'll make one of my own." he decided aloud. "A guild, that is."_

_Minerva's anxiety was barely concealed, fingers nervously stroking at her cast. Likewise, a week away from her father had made her more bold, but only just. "You're crazy."_

_Naruto whined._

_"C'mon, I'd make a great Guild Master!"_

**R&R! =D**


	2. Who I am

**A/N: Wow. I just read the latest chapter of Fairy Tail. And I gotta say; Jiemma is a dick! We all knew he was already, but after seeing Minerva's flashbacks, realizing the pure, unadulterated hell he put his own daughter through...god, that just pissed me the hell off! Who does that to their own daughter?! Not even the most saddistic, depraved madman would make his own kin strip and stand NAKED in the forest just because they were crying! ****Seriously!**

**On another note... **

**Here it is, and thank you all for your support in this hard time! Its been really hard with my uncle having died; I knew him ever since I was little and the thought of him being gone like that...by his own hand no less...it makes me wonder if I really knew him at all. So once again, thank you for all the support.**

**I love you guys so, soooo much! *Cries***

**I suppose I'm still writing on this site this as a result of his death. My uncle never really had many friends, you see, and sometimes I wonder if just one would've changed that. It was either continue writing as always fic, or drown my sorrows in alchohol. And as much as a might enjoy the occasional beer, I'd much rather pour out my grief into something productive, that will hopefully make me feel better, rather than get drunk and angry. Now, without further adeu, with an idea hours in the making...**

**So I'll skip the introduction, but might I advise you all to leave your assumptions behind you! This...is going to be one helluva story. Also the timeline has been changed, ever so slightly, so please, forgive the discrepancy...**

_"The rules of my Guild, you ask? Just one..."_

_~?_

**Who I Am**

Oak Town.

An idyllc little village, steeped in ancient history and lore. Many mages have hailed from these streets, powerful sorcerors and magicians alike, all gone off to seek their fate in the world outside its walls. Once home to the prestigious Phantom Lord Guild, its residents have since grown accustomed to the relative peace quiet that came with its destruction at the hands of Fairy Tail and its subsquent disbandment. Any folk searching for help or aid or guidance of the magical persuasion however, has since been forced to search elsewhere for help.

But not anymore.

_"Hiyah!"_

"Hey?!" Minerva yelped loudlly as Naruto suddenly lashed out, nearly jumping clean out of her skin altogether as her blond companion exploded into motion, furiously, carving a portion of rubble away with a flick of his wrists. Another wide, sweeping motion produced a similiar effect, clearing yet still more of the debris away and down the hill. She gawped at him for a long moment, his brow slicked with sweat, shirt peeled back to expose his muscled torso. Her cheeks colored. Then he struck again, and Minerva remembered she was _supposed _to be angry with him. But dear god, those muscles...

She gulped down some more water, trying to drown her heart so it would stop beating so fast. When she was finally certain that her heart wouldn't explode, she dared a question.

"What are you doing?"

"Clearing a space." he answered, his voice barely audible over the shifting of the Earth. "The Guild that used to be here is gone. Might as well take the space for ourselves. Orah!" Swinging once more, he pushed the old wreckage away, sending it tumbling away and into the pit he'd prepared. Another gesture coupled with the strange motions of his fingers -jutsu he called them- and the sinkhole closed, forming flawless road once more before Minerva's very eyes.

"Well, I don't see much of a point in that." she mumbled softly to herself. "We don't need this much space for a house. Unless you're planning on building something. Like a guild." A few weeks away from her father had helped make her a bit more bold, but only just. Sometimes she still woke in a cold sweat, fearing that this was all a terrible dream. Others plauged her with terrible nightmares; she would wake shrieking. But her father hadn't come for her yet. She wanted to believe that her proud protector could defeat him, but...

"A guild, huh?"

She looked back to find him Naruto cocking his head aside in contemplation, seeming to consider the notion as he peered at their empty lot, the space he'd just cleared. Nearly a month spent in Fiorre had done much to improve his outlook on life. Once he realized he was essentially trapped in a different dimension he'd despaired at first; but with despair had also come acceptance. He was a stranger trapped in a strange new land. One in which the concept of chakra was rather asimilair to that of magic. Where mages were paid to complete jobs. It was only natural that he thrive once he accepted that principle. This new idea of his however, even with all the money they'd earned doing odd jobs here in Oak Town...was nothing short of insanity.

She'd heard rumor that Fairy Tail had obliterated Phantom here for daring to lay a hand on one of their nakama. In that same vein it felt wrong, somehow to step into the shadows of such giants. She barely had a grasp on her own magic, her fumbling attempts with her new Territory magic didn't exactly make her the most skilled sorceress. Her magic dealth with the manipulation of space and time which needless to say allowed her to manipulate any spatial region within her line of sight. Thus far, the most she could do with it was conjure up a glass of water a few yards down the street. Combat? Forget it.

It had fallen to Naruto to earn them enough money to get by-and with each task that she failed her spirits sank even further. She would've been hopelessly depressed if he wasn't so damned _nice _about it, always trying his utmost to help her with ther magic and runes despite not having a clue as to either. The blue dress she currently wore was a reward from their last job, a far cry from the jacket she'd been wearing when they'd first wandered into this town. She had to admit, it was nice for someone to pay attention to her. To weight her opinion and feelings with value, not discard them. Perhaps, someone to love her, even when she fails-

"Ya know, think I'll make one of my own." Naruto decided aloud suddenly, causing her to start all over again. "A guild-that is. I don't much like the idea of being under someone's thumb." As if to punctuate that statement he stomped, sending a silent shudder through the earth. He wasn't being aggressive she knew, just making a seat by which he might sit by her. It was still enough to make her cringe slightly, though. For the longest time she'd been positively skittish in the prescence of people; it wasn't until Naruto's quiet therapy of simply sitting beside her that she'd start to improve and even then, only just.

Even now her anxiety was barely concealed, her finger nervously stroking at the cast that bound her arm-a constant reminder of the life that she'd left behind. They didn't have enough money to pay for a skilled healer of any report, and Naruto's skills, marvelous though they might be, were sorely lacking when it came to the healing arts. Likewise, she felt a small frown forming on her lips. "You're crazy. You're not even a mage. Why on earth would you want to become a Master? You probably don't even have the strength."

Naruto donned a mildly amused look. "Hey, I could destroy an entire town, if I so chose." he pointed out. "That's er...ah...mastery."

Almost against her wishes, the slightest of smiles formed on her face. Sometimes she had to remind herself that Naruto was on her side, not against her. He never pushed her too hard during training; always proved he was there for her during even her lowest moments. But this talk of making a guild, of stepping into the light where the whole world-and her father-would know here, who she was, what she could do and most important _where _she was...it was frightening. She finally had her freedom, her life, but losing those

"Might doesn't make right, Naruto-kun."

"It makes me feel better," he said, leaning backwards. "At least now you know I can't be beat easily."

They were the only ones who had made a move to claim this property on this hill, so they found themselves alone in the small, open space. Naruto laughed softly and nuzzled Minerva's head with his hand. "You know I won't let anything happen to you, right?"

"You say these things but...

"C'mon, Minerva, I already told ya..." Naruto purred, breathing in the scent of hair, sweat, and blood. It was so raw and so purely _her _that Naruto could happily remain engulfed in it all day. "If your old man does after you, I'll stick his head where the sun doesn't shine."

"Whatever you say," Minerva said, shivering as Naruto's nose tickled against her ear.

"I'm sure," Naruto laughed.

"But _you _know, right?" She sighed for confirmation, leaning into the warmth of his chest. "You _know_ you could take him?"

"Damn straight."

Letting herself linger, Minerva contemplated his words. She'd seen firsthand his level of skill during their short time together-Naruto was a brawler through and through-one that relied on stealth as much as it did brute force in his attacks. She could see why. Without stealth he still had his clones, and he could overwhelm even the most powerful of mages through sheer numbers alone. His reserves topped out near those of an S-Class mage and unless he faced a foe capable of matching him blow for blow, he could usually defeat all but the most impossible foes. The last dark mage they'd tangled with had proved his abilities. A sorceror capable of an eerie ability that allowed him to harden his skin, Naruto had blown right through him.

She'd yet to see someone he couldn't match.

"I still think this is a bad idea, though." she decided at last.

Naruto _whined._

"C'mon, I'd make a great Guild Master!"

Minerva shook her head, eyes glistening.

"You'd need permits and approval from the Grand Magic Council to even begin-oi!"

When she looked back, her eyes bulged, balking at the horde of clones already pouring the concrete and laying the foundation. "Yosh, we'll put the entrance here!"

"Are you even listening to me?!" she exclaimed!

"Not at all!"

"Where did you even get those supplies?!"

"Not telling!" he remained staunch in his defiance.

"That's it," she shook her head, "I give up. I'm going into town for supplies. Let me know if you need anything."

"Don't forget the ramen!"

Minerva laughed softly. "You're impossible, you know that?" She swiveled on her heel and sashayed in the opposite direction. "Try not to burn anything down while I'm gone?" She was half-tempted to ask for a clone to escort her-no. If she was going to make any progress at all as a person, or a mage, she needed to learn to do these things herself.

"I make no promises!"

His parting shot only made her smile.

* * *

"Well, if it isn't Minerva-chan!"

"Hello, Olaf." a sweet smile was beamed at the shopkeep as he greeted her. "How's your daughter?"

"Better since that boy of yours brought those herbs down the mountain." he boomed, bushy mustache lifting to expose a warm smile. "If the two of you are still looking for a place to stay...

Minerva felt her cheeks color at the mention of her favorite blond.

"Thank you for your generosity," she replied nervously, "But its taken care of."

"Aye, think nothing of it."

Olaf was one of the few folk in Oak Town whoe bore her no ill will and didn't actively try to hike up the prices whenever she shopped, something that had started as soon as it became apparent that she and Naruto had more than enough jewel to spend. He was a great, big, barrel-chested bear of a man, his hair just starting to show signs of gray. He laid his large arms down on the counter and leaned forward, filling her nose with the sweet scent of cinamon and food from his bakery.

"What'll it be today?" he asked.

"Just some vegetables and bread." she laid a few jewel on the counter, trying not to show just how earnest she really was. "Oh, and if you have that book I asked for...?"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" Reaching down behind the counter, he retrieved a book with a glossy red cover, emblazoned with ancient runic writing. "This should prove useful in helping you master that tricky magic yers, lass." Minerva took one look at its contents and fought off a tentative grin. This was it. The perfect tool she needed. A rare tome that detailed the intricate workins of space-time magics, an art in which she still pitifullly floundered despite her best efforts. All that was left was the price. She sorely hoped it wasn't more than the fifty jewel she had in her pocket.

"How much?" she dared to ask.

Olaf boomed out a laugh, deep from his belly. "For you, darling? Its on the house."

Minerva almost didn't dare to hope. "R-Really?"

"Really." he pressed it into her hands-

And someone snatched it away.

"I'll be taking that." a flat voice intoned.

Schooling her face into a mask of impassivity, she turned to face the owner of the voice; a man in dark robes with darker eyes, his face seeminly carved from granite. A scarred eyebrow was arched down at her, just as her book was held out of reach. Minerva bit back a scowl.

"Give it back, Zaheer."

"Why?" came the bemused reply. "This tome would better suit me, a true mage, not some fledgling fumbling in the dark."

If Olaf was a bear, then Zaheer was a _snake._ A bald, stonefaced man who liked to brag about his wind magic, and someone who enjoyed bullying those weaker than him. The only reason Naruto hadn't ground this little nuisance underfoot was because she hadn't told him of the man; because she wanted to fight this battle herself. But today. she just might reach her breaking point. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Olaf about to step out around his stall eyes dark with anger. She flagged him down.

"Give it back." she repeated again, her voice turning stern as she returned her attenion to her antagonist. "Now."

"And what're you going to do about it if I don't?" his only response was to lean back against a nearby wall.

Something snapped inside of her. Minerva _hissed _and reached deep into the well of her power, drawing it out and hurling it forward at the arrogant air mage and the wall upon which he rested.

**"Territory."**

"Terr_-wha?!"_ Zaheer suddenly found himself trapped in a wall, his head inexplicably locked in a concrete tomb as his body thrashed beneath. Minerva moved smoothly past him, ignoring the man's muffled cries. It was the first time she'd ever used her magic in any capacity that didn't involve self defense. She felt dangerous. Proud. Powerful. Striding forward, she snatched the tome out of the street. Zaheer was still screaming within his prison, his cries muted by the adjoining wall. Minerva felt no pity for him.

"You may want to hold you breath." she chimed pleasantly. "Might live a little longer that way."

Olaf barked a laugh. "Ha! That'll teach him! Good job, lass"

With a spring in her step, Minerva walked home.

* * *

When Minerva finally returned a few hours later, arms laden with supplies, her breath was taken away. She'd only been gone about one hundred hundred and twenty minutes, little more than two hours. And in the time that she had taken to make it to the market, deal with her accoster, and return to the hill...

_...a building had been born._

It towered over her in all its majesty, its spire casting her in shadow and threatening to blot out the sun altogether.

Flowing arches and elegant buttresses, its resembled a great castle of sorts, yet somehow managed to look warm and inviting at the same time.

Several of his clones were loading cargo crates and beams into the structure of the new buillding. Naruto was stilll standing there exactly as she'd left him, silently supervising a nearby doppleganger who was handlling his things. He shoved one case a little too roughly and the shinobi shouted a string of angry, flowing syllables at him. When Minerva looked over at him for a translation he repllied with a mere, "Sorry, tend to slip back into my ol' language when I'm angry."

Needless to say, Minerva was left at a loss for words.

"I...you...how?!"

"Never underestimate the power of a clone army." he beamed.

"But the permits-

"Done." he flashed a piece of paper in her face, her dark eyes immediately drawn down to the council's seal. "I wasn't exactly idle during the last few weeks. Once you told me were the Magic Council was...well, it was a simple matter to send a runner out. I can use my brain sometimes, ya know. And I already learned a thing or two about construction before I wound up here. Guess Tazuna's lessons paid off. Now, there's just one thing missing, beyond advertising."

"And what's that?"

Naruto seemed to consider it for a moment. Then he grinned that boyish grin that sent her heart to skipping.

_"We need to give our guild a name."_

**A/N: And there we be!**** Despite my illness, I was so fixated on the idea that it just came to me, the idea of Minerva actually having a decent life, rather than being trappd under that asshole of a dad known as Jiemma. I'm almost glad a friend suggested this me. And I'm quite satisfied with the way that this chapter turned out. Minerva's going to be well taken care of, actually has a friend in the rotten childhood inflicted upon her, a bit of training under her belt, and she's slowly recovering from the torment inflicted by her father. But that aside I need your help dear readers! What should Naruto call his guild?! **

**I need a name here, people!**

**So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! **

**(Preview)**

_"YOU BELONG TO ME!"_

_Naruto's arm shot up like a piston, effortlessly interposing itself between Minerva and her father's fist, the swell of magic extinguishing against his upturned palm. There was a moment of terrible silence as the two men glared at one another. Guildmaster's both, young and old, neither willing to budge. Then Naruto smiled. It was not a pleasant thing, Minerva thought, that smile. Because for all that her parent strained against him, the whiskered warrior had yet to be budged so much as an inch._

_"Yo, pops," he growled angrily, teeth glinting furiously, molars grinding in the evening light. "Nice ta finally meetcha."_

_Then he swung so hard Jiemma saw stars._

**R&R! =D**


End file.
